Moving to London at the end of August with a 6 year old girl need advice re school

[hosulliva]

Hello all, new 1st time poster here so bear with me!!
My daughter and I are due to move to London at the end of August. She is 6 years old. I am moving from Ireland where the system is completely different.
Basically I am hoping that I will be in a position to send her to a fee paying school in London so am looking for advice re same.
I am not certain of the area we will be living in yet but possibly Putney or Wimbledon but would gladly take advice from anyone who can suggest a good private school in any area from zone 1 to 3 travel wise as I will be working in central London.
Any advice with regards to before and afterschool care would also be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

Thank you all I really appreciate all the advice next task will be finding a place to live don't do things by halves me ;)
Rang Wandsworth council today re state schools but no answer will try again tomorrow

@yah2207 - suggest you start your own thread with the name of the school in the title. loads of people on here know NBH.

Thanks! I’m not familiar with how to post on here.

OP our house is near the state schools you've mentioned and being an extremely friendly area, I know a fair few of the children. OLV is very hard to get into unless you've been a regular at St Simons for I think, 2 yrs prior to entry, or have a letter from your current priest. Hotham seems to have really come up the curve in the last few years and my neighbours kids were in the 'French Stream' there. Don't worry they didn't speak a word of French when they arrived! Maybe enquire about it though. St Marys kids I know are all lovely. I'd imagine you'd need to look at all of them. Also All Saints next to Putney Common.

Just a word of caution - state primaries in the area are good but it is harder to get a place in a good state secondary.
If you are planning on being here long term it might be worth going private and negotiating school fees with your employer from the start of your contract as I imagine it might be harder to suddenly ask them to contribute in a few years time.

Thanks Avebury and Jellycat 1

We will only be in London for a maximum of 4 years as that is my contract (unless I win the lotto!!!) so state secondary's will not be of major importance for now.

Most of the schools I emailed yesterday have gotten back to me today thankfully. Would you normally have to pay the registration fee for each of your choices and then wait to see which one you would get or do you go to see the school and then see what happens?

Got through to Wandsworth council today and explained that we would be moving over in August. They advised that I would have to apply by the end of June and provide proof of address and they would check I was registered with the council. I explained I wouldn't have proof of address until I found permanent accommodation and would a letter from work stating I was working with them do. In fairness to her she didn't sound sure but said send it in and then they would see, so I could be starting work not knowing whether my daughter has a school place or not a bit frustrating but I do understand its the rules they have to go by

I think you might struggle to get a state school place without a confirmed address. It is a very over subscribed area particularly for reception but places often do free up further up the school.

Obviously not such a problem with private schools. Another one worth looking at is Ibstock Place in Roehampton. Not quite as easy to get to (although Barnes and Sheen are also nice areas to live and if you live in Sheen you can walk through Richmond Park which is a lovely school run) but I know someone who moved from overseas last year and was able to get all three of her children into the prep school there whereas other schools could not guarantee places but still wanted large deposits upfront.

"Would you normally have to pay the registration fee for each of your choices and then wait to see which one you would get or do you go to see the school and then see what happens?"

It's normal to be able to have a standard tour and then decide whether to register. Though I'm thinking of standard entry points when timetable is better defined.

Remember that you have to give a full term's notice when leaving a school tomavoid fees in lieu. So those who will not be returning in September will be handing their notice in about now. The school will then seek to fail, the place as quickly as possible, and will start with those who have registered (as opposed to those who have just enquired). So unless they're asking for rapacious amounts of money, it might be worth reigistering for your top couple of choices.

Ok Avebury thank you for the info will look into it

Good morning all may I double check what time do most primary schools start in the morning?
Should it be like here then it varies from school to school

They vary! Anywhere between 8:15 and 9:00 depending on what you mean by 'start'

Do you mean actual start (go into classrooms) or time you can drop off (with or without using a breakfast club)?

Private schools tend to have longer days than state, but their wrap-round care (if they have before/after school clubs) may be more expensive,

Drop off time, thank you just trying to figure out travel time to work etc

It depends on the time school opens for registration normally schools will say no earlier than 15 minutes before the start of the school day.

Unless your using wrap around care ie breakfast club then that normally starts about 8

thank you

Also look at the Falcon School (was Putney Park). I suspect it will very much depend on which of these Putney schools has a vacancy as they are all popular, so I suggest you contact all of them.

Turkeyboots. While private schools in the U.K. are expensive, they are not 10k per term for day schools. Most of these schools are around 6k per term.

Thanks sent an email to falcon also and got their form.

Hello all, thanks again for all your advice. I was speaking to my soon to be supervisor the other day and she is advising that I should look at schools closer to where I will be working to facilitate drop off and pick up from school. I don't really know how I feel about that as I don't like the idea of having to bring her on the tube/train/ bus etc in rush hour as I don't think she would like the crowds very much.
I will be working in the SW1X area, what would your opinions be on this?
If you think its a good idea could you recommend fee paying schools near there?
Either way I'm hoping to live in the Wimbledon/Putney area.

Hmm well there's Eaton House and Eaton Square School that are in that area. Also Garden House which is meant to be great but very expensive. Knightsbridge School, Hill House. If the drop off and pick up work better then maybe consider that arrangement, but to me it seems a bit counterintuitive in some ways, as Putney and Wimbledon preps are so good and you've more green spaces etc. Also rush hour commute from there to SW1 would be either district line or overground towards Waterloo, both of which are rammed in the mornings. Ugh. In your shoes I think I'd stick to the likes of Hurlingham etc and take advantage of their wrap around care.

Thank you yes I was thinking the same thing don't really want to subject her to rush hour I dislike enough myself!!

I would have a look around The Roche School. They cater for all abilities and interests. The clubs, trips and opportunities the children have are amazing! I think they have an open morning next week - so do email them!

Thank you looks like we may not be going now unfortunately. Work refusing to pay fees and father refusing to let my daughter go - long dory going through divorce